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Ever tried one of those dating apps? Then you might already be familiar with the many different personalities of girls, guys, and beyond that you might find in Bangkok. The truth is, the Bangkok dating scene is already complicated as it is with the crazy amount of apps available right now (and your not-so-new secret crush feature ain’t helping, Zuck). Maybe you’ve been feeling like even after finally getting a match, it never seems to go anywhere.
Feel better about yourself though, as you definitely aren’t alone. We’ve found three dating horror stories (in addition to real-life Soi Cowboy tales) from some brave individuals that might make you cringe and/or feel better about your situation.
*Stories have been edited for length and clarity, and names have been changed.
Smells like a bad date
“Went on a date with this girl once and surprise, surprise, she looked nothing like her online profile. We went to a trendy club in the Soi 11 area (maybe that was the wrong choice to begin with!), thinking we’d just have a chill day out. Sounds like a safe bet, right? Wrong. She was rude and unfriendly the whole time and really rubbed me the wrong way. It was really awkward and now I was literally stuck with her on a daybed.
That’s not even all though. As we snuggled closer, my face involuntarily scrunched up in horror. What WAS that stench? Wasn’t me as I definitely just had a shower before this, and with my good body wash too. I quickly realized that it was coming from her and now her body was on mine. I was now physically uncomfortable in every sense of the word. Why wouldn’t she think to shower before we hung out? Every minute we were on that daybed felt like an eternity, and around the one-hour mark, I decided I couldn’t take it anymore. I did what any sane person would do and excused myself to go to the bathroom, making my escape. I did end up sticking her with the bill, and I’d do it again too. My only regret was not leaving earlier.”
— Mark, 26.
Putting the ‘miser’ in miserable
“I met a guy on a dating app who seemed quite normal so I decided to go on a date with him. While the date itself was mediocre and we clearly didn’t have much in common, his true colors started to show when he walked me to the BTS station. He was stopped by the security guard when going through the turnstile as his card had insufficient funds. Instead of adding funds like any normal person, however, he decided to get upset and argue with the security guard. He even started to raise his voice, immediately earning him a ticket. I ended up just walking away so he could figure it out. Needless to say, he clearly had anger issues and couldn’t see that he was at fault for not having enough money on his card… he asked for a second date and like that BTS card reader, I rejected him.”
— Kelly, 25
Sat down just to get stood up
“We had been chatting for a few days and he seemed nice. I thought there would be no harm in meeting him, but it was pretty awkward. We decided on a restaurant near his house, and he even opened the door for me all gentleman-like and I thought ‘hey, maybe this wouldn’t be so bad’. We were about to get a table when he told me he forgot to bring his wallet. I waited for him to return before we got a table and right when we were about to sit down, he excused himself again, claiming that he’d forgotten his jacket too. He told me to order first as he went back a second time. I thought nothing of it and got us some appetizers. After a (long) while, it was crystal clear he wasn’t coming back, and the staff took pity on me. They were really nice about it though, and they actually sat and ate with me as we talked for the rest of the night. The biggest mystery of the night though is why he didn’t just escape the first time he went to get his wallet.”
— Jenny, 25.
Did reading these stories bring up some repressed memories? We’re sorry. This year, Thailand’s online dating market is projected to reach US$3 million, suggesting that the online dating pool of suitors isn’t getting any smaller. Wading through the unfiltered dating pool can be more time-consuming than what you can afford, so maybe you’re in the market to try a dating-friendly alternative. Meet MeetNLunch, Thailand’s biggest dating company that hopes to take the literal pain out of conventional dating — the dreaded ‘smartphone thumb’ pain you definitely have from swiping too much.
With a four-step program personalized to each individual, they promise to sieve out those who are just after a ‘Netflix and chill’ sesh. If the stories above have you wanting to take your dating game seriously, maybe leave it to the dating experts over at MeetNLunch, who have been around for more than a decade. With more than 5,000 successful couples under their belt across Southeast Asia, they promise you’ll only meet with compatible profiles handpicked just for you. While there might be plenty of fish in the sea, they promise to help you weed out the catfish, by verifying each member’s identity. Worth a shot, if you’re sick and tired of hopeless matches that lead to nowhere.
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